Gaston Library discussion

Hello and Happy 2022! It’s time for the first Wrap Up of the year! This year I’ve decided to partake in the PopSugar Reading Challenge, which is a set of 50 prompts which you read a book to match. For more info check this website: https://www.popsugar.com/entertainmen....
Because of this challenge I have upped my reading goal to 65 books this year, which is a lot for me. What reading goals or challenges have you set for yourself this year? Now onto the Wrap Up!

This month I read…

The Lost Girls by Sonia Hartl- This one was pretty fun. It was billed as John Tucker Must Die (a 2000’s Teen Movie) but with vampires so I had to give it a try. The writing was good, and the story was engaging so overall a good read. The lore however didn’t do it for me, these vampires were casually killing people and then throwing them in dumpsters after drinking their blood and no one noticed? I had a hard time looking past this, but was able to suspend belief enough that I still enjoyed it.
This was for the Popsugar Prompt: A book about the afterlife.

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry- This was a cute contemporary romance that was just the right balance of fun cheesy romance and drama. Best one in this genre I’ve read in a while. I enjoyed the fact that for much of the story the characters are on vacation so you have the travel element of them exploring different places all over the world too.
This was for the Popsugar Prompt: A #BookTok recommendation.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett- I listened to this on Audio. This was a super popular book back in the day and I’m just now getting around to reading it and honestly, I could have continued to have not read it. It wasn’t bad, it just didn’t really leave me with anything. The ending was not satisfying for me at all and I felt like the author fell into stereotypes of the time with her characters a little too much to be comfortable with. Still gave it three stars because it was a pretty interesting story despite the flaws I’ve mentioned.

The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo- I loved the culture and background behind this one. It was deeply rooted in Malaysian culture and history and the author did a great job of immersing the reader in this culture and explaining it throughout the story. The beginning was a little slow plot wise, but once it started it pick up I was sucked in. The romance between Shin and Ji Lin was a little weird, and not because they are step-siblings, but otherwise this was a great book.
This was for the Popsugar Prompt: A book with a tiger on the cover or “tiger” in the title.

What did you read this month? Be sure to share down below!

Happy Reading!

I had a reading fit this month and chomped through 20 books of the 60 for my goal.

Best of the lot was The Runemaster Homicide by Dan Jolley. A wonderful mashup of the murder-mystery and the political-world fantasy genres. (political world fantasy being stuff like Game of Thrones)

Cut & Dyed by J.D. Blackrose is another of the Zombie Cosmetologist series and another absolute delight. I love the concept of this Hollywood make-up artist also being a civil war era zombie.

A Witch for Mr. Holiday by Chase Deanna ending up in my do-not-finish pile. It was like a Christmas Romance Movie - only much slower. I had thought it "oh good, a witch" BUT - the only magic is stating they have magic. They subbed a healer for a doctor. Don't get me wrong, if it had been advertised as a normal romance, it would have worked. But this was NOT a paranormal romance.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig was read for my book club. It is a typical regret-redo story (like It's a Wonderful Life and Christmas Carol). It brought nothing new to the plate other than a update for modern people.

Ghosts of the Past and Shutdown Crew by Gail Z. Martin and Larry Martin completed the Wasteland Marshal novella series (can be found in a full book format in Wasteland Marshals Volume 1). Read these two - really liked the final one.

So that is six of the 20 books read for January. Hope everyone is having happy reading time!

Erin wrote: "I had a reading fit this month and chomped through 20 books of the 60 for my goal.

Best of the lot was The Runemaster Homicide by Dan Jolley. A wonderful mashup of the murder-myst..."

Wow! 20 books in a month! I think the most I've ever read in a month is 6, haha.
I've heard mixed reviews on The Midnight Library and have been interested in maybe giving it a try. It's a Wonderful Life is my favorite Christmas movie, so maybe I like it because of that since you compared the two.